Friday, March 14, 2008

Talented journalist, author and Trans Group blogger Jacob Anderson-Minshall contacted me recently with an expressed interest in interviewing me for his syndicated column, TransNation. Of course I was (and am) honored and quickly said yes to his request.

We met on a lovely day in early March at a terrific coffee shop in Portland called "World Cup". After expressing a mutual appreciation for each other's work he broke out an awesome, vintage Panasonic cassette recorder and we settled in at a table outside for a little taste of Jenn al fresco.

You can read the article here...and I must say that he did a wonderful job of turning my "stream of (un)consciousness" ramblings into a relatively coherent collection of observations. Thank you, Jake!

As we talked I found my mind wandering frequently to the spectacularly ordinary nature of what was happening. There I was, a mature (NOT old) transwoman being interviewed about my work with gender non-conforming children by a handsome and fascinating transman while sipping a hot chocolate (Jake was having tea) on the sidewalk of a major American city that wasn't New York or San Francisco.

It may not seem like much of a big deal to many, but for a girl who quite clearly remembers a time when such a scenario could only have happened in a Gene Roddenberry teleplay, it was yet another powerful moment.

It was a pleasure to just sit with Jake and share our observations about how this culture processes and responds to gender non-conformity. One man, one woman, both of trans-experience discussing ways to make the future brighter for trans and gender non-conforming children, youth and their families.

I may have been the subject of your article, Mr. Minshall....but you are the object of my admiration and respect. Thank you, Jake. You are, by anyone's definition, a role model for all people, but especially other young men.